AN EXAMINATION OF THE PROBLEMS OF THE ADOPTION OF ALTERNATIVE SENTENCING IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria, through the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, as legal frameworks had joined other countries of the world in adopting alternative sentencing option for criminal punishment. This paper therefore takes a cursory look at the problems which are being faced with the adoption or implementation of such option. The study attempts the consideration of the advantages of the alternative sentencing over the erstwhile custodial sentencing. The paper thereby concludes, despite the good tidings and the advantages of the application of alternative measures, as punishment for crime in the administration of criminal justice system in Nigeria, there appears to be inefficiency and ineffectiveness of the alternative sentencing option and the problems are identified as, persuasive ignorance about alternative sentencing, non-familiarity with the legal or legislative framework of alternative measure by the key players in the administration of criminal justice, absence of the institutional framework stipulated by the legal framework, inadequacy of fund, among others. The study therefore recommends the rigorous and aggressive awareness of the programme to people, putting much elucidation on the legal framework for the adjudicators and other categories of the people for the adoption of alternative sentencing options, the establishment of institutional framework for the accommodation of the measure and the provision of adequate finance to be able to put up effective and efficient adoption of the alternative sentencing measures, among others.